I noticed a few days ago that one of our 4 hens wasn't bald on the back like the rest were from spending the winter locked up with the rooster, figured maybe he didn't like her. Then I saw her chest had this huge bulge.

After all day yesterday researching this I don't know what to think or do, so much info and so many home remedies. I isolated her and picked her up to feel it. It is huge and feels hot to the touch and watery. Upon flapping her wings she puked on me, TWICE! It was watery and green but did not smell bad like suggested for sour crop. At least I didnt have to induce vomiting! It doesnt feel like there is a solid mass in there like suggested for impacted crop.

After spending all night with no food it is still quite large. But she pooped several normal poops during the night and still has a ravenous appetite. So I dont think she is feeling ill and if she was impacted would she still poop so much?

I gave her a couple teaspoons of some yogurt because somewhere I read that that can help. I was thinking after a couple of days I would try bread soaked with olive oil but I don't want to weaken her by withholding food for too long, especially since she acts fine, and hungry for now.

If it smelled like yeast, it could be a sour crop. I would try to empty her crop as much as you safely can, then give her apple cider vinegar in her water a few days as treatment. I think I read somewhere nothing sugary if they are having sour crop problems. Then follow with the probiotic yogurt. If not sour crop, well, if she is eating normally and pooping normally and not losing weight, I would just wait and see. I have a hen that seems to have a more liquid crop than solid and she is fine. Of course, her crop does empty however.Now if you feel she is blocked, mineral oil is a pretty good choice for a lubricant and enema. I don't think they will take this freely though. You may need a crop tube to dispense it.

I am currently having the exact same situation with one of my Speckled Sussex hens. I have only been a chicken owner since getting 25 of them in March 08 as chicks. Monday prior to finding this wonderful site, I couldn't find any treatment in my Gail Damerow Chicken Health Handbook with the exception of a 3 sentence surgery treatment to perform myself (not). I posted pleas on a couple listserves I am a member of, with one return treatment of needle aspiration of the crop that the man had performed successfully 2 of 4 times in the past. I only have 20 guage needles, and that was too small to aspirate anything. So...also being a horse owner I squirted some mineral oil down her throat. I'm not sure how much made it down her throat. I did this again Tues. AM. Tues. night I removed her from the coop and put her in my tack room to monitor poop. She is taking food and water in...very dense green poop now coming out (they do have access to grass via poultry netting I move around). I had (until reading some of the posts on this website) been giving her very wet mash with mineral oil mixed in. Right now while I'm at work I have removed her feed and water. On the way home today I will stop and get her some yogurt to mix in with the mineral oil instead of keeping her on the mash to see if this speeds her recovery. When I try to touch or palpate her enlarged chest, she grumbles, so I know she is uncomfortable. I will keep my fingers crossed for both of our hens.

Well if the swelling isn't going down on its own you may have to empty it for her. You can try massaging it down (be careful if the stuff comes up, let her clear it out so she can breathe)or you can turn her upside down and squeeze it out. Just a little at a time, very quickly, then right her, so she doesn't choke on it. If you leave the stuff in her, it can sour and cause gas, which will enlarge the crop and be uncomfortable. After emptying, I would try a little mineral oil and work it around in the crop possibly feeling for the obstruction and trying to break it up. Of course, this doesn't always work. I've been working on a young bird for over a week now, trying everything, and nothing is working. I'm afraid her obstruction is farther down, not in the crop. She is very skinny and I am going to have to put her down. I have another young cockeral that is developing a big crop and I can feel the obstruction in his. Feels like a wad of string. Probably hay from his pen. I think I'm going to have to do the crop operation on him. Good luck with your hens. I'm off to look up the operating procedure.